Student Development provides programs and services that foster an inclusive, nurturing, and challenging community; optimizes transformative student learning and leadership; builds a safe and supportive campus; fosters the emotional growth and personal development of students for a lifelong commitment to personal and social responsibility, and makes a positive contribution to the overall student experience.

Student Development professionals foster student success through learning opportunities that result in the following outcomes:

Students persist and achieve academically

Students communicate effectively

Students appreciate and respect diversity

Students promote and practice wellness

Students solve problems creatively

Students lead with integrity

Students serve the local and global community

Students live life with passion and compassion

Guiding Values/Principles

As professionals in the field of student affairs, the student development staff subscribe to a core set of beliefs that informs and guides us in carrying out our daily responsibilities and in working with colleagues, students, and other constituents.

Through words and actions, the student development staff aspire to serve students and treat student, campus colleagues, and other key constituencies with honesty, respect, and civility.

As a staff, we value:

Excellence

Compassion

Intercultural awareness and inclusion

Risk taking, innovation and the ability to recognize failure as part of the learning process

Responsibility, accountability, and integrity

Education and development of the whole person

Life-long learning and positive change

Core Competencies

Professional Expertise

Aware of history, values, and philosophy of Student Affairs as a profession

Keep up with current trends in higher education

Understand an apply student development theories and research based practices

Recognize need for student involvement to contribute to student learning

Understand the Wittenberg student culture

Familiar with legal and ethical history and issues that affect student involvement

Act in accordance with prevailing legal and ethical principles

Proactive in seeking professional development opportunities

Involved in professional organizations

Adviser

Act as an advocate for students and student organizations

Facilitate connections

Provide guidance to individuals and groups

Facilitate problem-solving, decision-making, and goal setting

Serves as a resource of university knowledge: policies, procedures, processes